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TELECOM ITALIA MASTERS

May 9, 2004

David Nalbandian

ROME, ITALY

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. You said he played an incredible match. What do you mean?

DAVID NALBANDIAN: I think he play an unbelievable match. He serve very good, and his forehand was incredible today. I didn't serve good on the court today. Maybe I feel tired from long match from yesterday, but I think I don't have much today it seem.

Q. What was it, the tiredness that was causing all the mistakes as the match went on?

DAVID NALBANDIAN: For me?

Q. Yes. There were shots you were making a few days ago - the dropshots and the little half-volleys into the net - shots you were making quite easily a few days ago you were not making today. Was it fatigue maybe that was causing that?

DAVID NALBANDIAN: Yeah, maybe.

Q. I listened to what you said, but what did you need to do to equalize the game?

DAVID NALBANDIAN: Maybe rest a little bit more.

Q. That's all?

DAVID NALBANDIAN: Maybe.

Q. Did you feel flat when you came out on to the court today?

DAVID NALBANDIAN: No, I think was same conditions as yesterday - wind, the ball is light, is very hard. But I think I didn't have many chance to come back in the match or try to keep fighting. He played really, really good. I don't have much to do today.

Q. He played better than when you've played him before? You've beaten him twice.

DAVID NALBANDIAN: Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Q. People say that you learn when you lose as well, so what do you think you learned today?

DAVID NALBANDIAN: I think I have to try to keep playing my tennis. I try to do my best all the weeks, but sometimes you cannot do it - you are playing with another better player. Like today, he played really good. I couldn't do my best.

Q. What do you have to work on to be at your top level?

DAVID NALBANDIAN: To win Roland Garros?

Q. To be at your best tennis?

DAVID NALBANDIAN: Well, of course I have to try to keep working my physic - of course. And I think that Grand Slam is more tired for the mind, so it's very long tournament, it's very long sets. We have to be very, very focus and ready to play five hours if you need it. But we have one day off in the middle, so is a little better than this week.

Q. Do you think Moya is coming back, really coming back, and he is a great competitor for Roland Garros, or do you think it's just a moment of the season?

DAVID NALBANDIAN: He always play good on clay courts, so he don't have a moment. He play really good. Last year he do quarterfinals, I think. So he have a lot chance, but same as like everybody. So maybe he have a very tough match and he can lose, so... He is a man, he's not a machine, so you never know.

Q. He came to the net quite a bit. Did that surprise you?

DAVID NALBANDIAN: Not at all, but he came to the net very good, always when I was running. So I think he do a very good tactic match.

Q. When you're getting very frustrated with yourself, how difficult is it to maintain your concentration and play the way you want to play?

DAVID NALBANDIAN: How difficult? Very difficult (laughter).

Q. And that seemed to be the way that the match went; you got more and more frustrated, and it was difficult to play?

DAVID NALBANDIAN: Yeah, but I think I try to keep my mind on the court, keep focus all the time. But I couldn't do my best, and he played really good. So I try all my best today. I think I didn't have 100 percent, but I tried to do my best anyway.

Q. In the deep of yourself, when you were in the second set and you were 4-love down and you take one break, in the deep of yourself do you believe you can come back, or no?

DAVID NALBANDIAN: Of course, of course. I always try to come back. Always in the big moments he served very good, and he played unbelievable those points. Sometimes I was breakpoints and he served really good, or he served and then he hit a forehand winner. So not much to do in that points.

Q. I think most people thought you'd be the one coming to the net more and volleying more than what happened.

DAVID NALBANDIAN: Yeah, but is like I said before - he played very near to the baseline, so it's not easy to come to the net. He hit - with his forehand - he hit the ball so hard, so is not so easy to go to the net. Maybe I feel little tired, so that's why I didn't hit the ball like I wished and then go to the net. But I tried always to do my best.

Q. In Monte-Carlo Coria said that for him, you can become No. 1 in the world. What's your answer about that?

DAVID NALBANDIAN: I say that two months ago, so I think the same.

Q. You feel you can?

DAVID NALBANDIAN: Of course.

Q. Is it more difficult for you to come to a final on clay court than any other surface, or it's the same?

DAVID NALBANDIAN: I answer this question before. I like more indoors or hard courts or whatever, but I think this week I play very good, and I think I can play very good also on the clay courts. So for me, this season is very important, in the clay courts, and I have in my mind a goal with Paris, so I have to keep working and try to do a good tournament in Roland Garros.

Q. What were you thinking when he hit that shot through his legs late in the third set? It was quite a shot.

DAVID NALBANDIAN: If he hit with the hand, he make the ball in, so that's... It's... I don't know. That's make me a little frustrated, but in that kind of moment, you think, "Okay, if he hit the ball with whatever he want to hit the ball, the ball is gonna be in." So he play -- he have all the lights on today.

Q. Do you think the players who didn't play here - Andre Agassi and other players - will be at a disadvantage in Paris because of the lack of matches?

DAVID NALBANDIAN: Advantage for who, for us or for him?

Q. For the players who missed this tournament, who didn't play in Rome.

DAVID NALBANDIAN: If they miss it, it's for something. I don't know the reasons. Maybe he's practicing on clay (smiling).

End of FastScriptsâ€¦.

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